Nara Early Morning Tour Kyoto or Osaka Departure Available
Description
Nara becomes extremely crowded in the afternoon, making photos difficult. In our tour, we visit the main sites—Kofuku-ji, Todaiji, Nara Park, and Kasuga Grand Shrine—before the crowds arrive. ⬇︎PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY⬇︎ * Please arrive 10 minutes early. Late guests cannot be accepted and no refunds will be given. * For the Kyoto/Osaka Station Pickup option: the one-way train fare to Nara is included. The return ticket is not included. *This tour has up to 12 guests. *In this tour, we will walk about 10,000 steps. (stairs and hills included) *We will be using the public train (not a private vehicle) to go from Kyoto/Osaka to Nara which each takes around 1 hour. * Tour duration: – Kyoto/Osaka Departure: 4.5 hours – Kintetsu Nara Station Meeting: 3.5 hours Please provide a phone number that is reachable in Japan and on WhatsApp so that we have a smooth interaction before the tour date. Travel agents must enter the guest’s phone number, not the agency’s.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Kofuku-ji Temple was established in Nara at the same time as the capital in 710. It is famous for it's five-storied pagoda, the second tallest wooden pagoda in Japan just seven meters shorter than the five-storied pagoda at Kyoto's Toji Temple. See this temple for yourself at sunrise!
Kasuga Grand Shrine is famous for it's lanterns, which have been donated by worshippers. There are approximately 3000 stone and bronze lanterns, standing as one of Japan's most historical shrines. It holds significance as the sacred grounds that inspired the presence of deer in Nara Park.
Nara Park is home to thousands of wild deers. These deers are considered to be sacred because it's said that one of the 4 gods in Kasuga Shrine rode the deer to Nara. The cute thing about these deers is that they bow at you when you feed them! It's an experience that everyone should try!
Todaiji Temple is famous for its Great Buddha Statue, the biggest Buddha statue in Japan. Until recently, this temple's man hall was the world's largest wooden building. It looks beautiful but once you know the history to why it was built and it's historical significance, you will be shocked!
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- We will walk about 10,000 steps during this tour.
- Not recommended for guests over 75.
- Guests under the age of 6 cannot join.
Reviews(1,104)
We had an amazing time on our tour of Nara with Moe! She took us everywhere and was great at explaining everything. Make sure you bring a small fan and your walking shoes as it’s a long tour but well worth it! A tip, don’t spent too much time at the initial park where the deer are…they are EVERYWHERE in Nara, no need to stop there with the crowds.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! 🦌 We’re delighted to hear that you had such an amazing time exploring Nara with Moe and that her explanations helped make the experience even more enjoyable. We also really appreciate you sharing your helpful tips for future travelers, especially about bringing comfortable walking shoes and taking the time to explore beyond the busiest deer areas. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with Moe! We hope to welcome you on another tour in Japan someday! Best regards, GuideMe Japan Team
Moe is very kind and has an excellent knowledge of Japanese customs and traditions. She knows Nara extremely well and can provide great recommendations for restaurants and shops. Most importantly, she is highly knowledgeable about the temples and shrines you will visit
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that Moe’s knowledge of Japanese customs, traditions, temples, and shrines helped make your time in Nara even more enjoyable. We’re also glad that her local recommendations for restaurants and shops added value to your experience. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with Moe! We hope to welcome you on another tour in Japan someday! Best regards, GuideMe Japan Team
The trip was such a fun experience. I enjoyed visiting shrines and temples as I was walking close to the deers. Our guide, Sheishiro, was the ideal guide for such a trip. He was friendly, talkative and quite informative. Good job!
Thank you so much for your kind review! 🦌 We’re so happy to hear that you enjoyed visiting the shrines and temples while experiencing Nara’s famous deer up close. We’re also delighted to know that Sheishiro made the tour even more enjoyable with his friendly personality and informative guidance. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with him! We hope to welcome you on another tour in Japan someday! Best regards, GuideMe Japan Team
My experience was fantastic with this tour guide. We had a great time and it was relatively easy to find. The person leading it was very accommodating for my needs and my family. I would recommend this if you like feeding deers and listening to history. I would overall rate this fantastic.
Thank you so much for your kind review! 🦌 We’re delighted to hear that you and your family had such a fantastic experience and that your guide was accommodating and helpful throughout the tour. We’re also glad you enjoyed learning about Nara’s history while having the unique experience of feeding the deer. Thank you for your recommendation, and we hope to welcome you and your family on another tour in Japan someday! Best regards, GuideMe Japan Team
Yes, being a friend of deer was unlike any other experience, but the highlight of this trip was our kind and caring guide, Moe. She was incredibly knowledgeable and helpful throughout the tour. She took time to help us understand the history behind our sites and was more than willing to help capture memorable moments on camera. I would recommend this company and especially Moe as the tour guide. I do wish the tour included the admission fee into the temple and a ride back to Kyoto given the price of the package itself. The train tickets and admission tickers themselves weren’t very expensive so it would’ve been nice for the company to have covered those logistical pieces. Would still recommend this company and this tour to facilitate the ease of travel to Nara and around the city.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful review! 🦌 We’re delighted to hear that meeting the deer was such a unique experience and, most importantly, that Moe made your day in Nara so memorable. We’re especially happy to know that her kindness, historical explanations, helpful support, and assistance with taking photos added to your experience. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with her. We also truly appreciate your feedback regarding the temple admission fee and return transportation to Kyoto. Your comments are very valuable to us, and we will take them into consideration as we continue improving the overall tour experience. Thank you again for recommending both our tour and Moe. We hope to welcome you back to Japan again someday! Best regards, GuideMe Japan Team
Wonderful day! Went for the deer but the temples were beyond incredible. Great activity for teens and adults alike. My kids loved it. And great and kind guide!!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! 🦌✨ We’re so happy to hear that you and your family had such a great day in Nara. It’s wonderful that the deer brought you there, but the incredible temples became such a memorable part of the experience as well. We’re also glad to hear that both the adults and teens enjoyed the tour and that your guide made the day even more enjoyable. We hope to welcome you and your family on another tour in Japan someday! Best regards, GuideMe Japan Team
We thorougly enjoyed our tour today, Haruka was our guide and she was brilliant from start to finish. She was so knowledgeable about Nara and its history. Great value for money, would definitely book a tour again. This is a must do when visiting Kyoto and I would highly recommend. Thank you Karuta 🙏🦌⭐️
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that you had such a great time exploring Nara with Haruka and enjoyed learning about its history. 🦌✨ We truly appreciate your kind recommendation and hope to welcome you on another tour in Japan someday! Best regards, GuideMe Japan Team
Ko was our guide for the day and we loved him. He was friendly, knowledgeable and fun. My kids loved this tour as they got to feed the deer as we walked along. The whole experience was easy. We met Ko at the Kyoto station and he was right where he said he would be (he sent pictures etc). He guided our group to the train and off we went to Nara which is about a 45 min train ride. The tour is all on foot for a few of hours so bring comfy shoes. It was a good pace with time to stop if needed. On the way back, Ko guided us to the train station and told us which train/platform to get on to return to Kyoto. I would highly recommend!! Thank you Ko xo
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re so happy to hear that you and your family had such a fun time exploring Nara with Ko, especially feeding the deer! 🦌✨ We truly appreciate your kind words about Ko and your recommendation. We hope to welcome you and your family on another tour in Japan someday! Best regards, GuideMe Japan Team
This was a great tour! We had Lee as our guide and he was very knowledgeable, kind and patient with my son (almost 5). He held his hand while we toured different sights. He took amazing photos along the way for us and the pace was just right! He even helped ensure we got back to Kyoto quickly.
Thank you so much for your lovely review! We’re so glad to hear that you and your family had a great time exploring Nara with Lee. It’s wonderful to know that his kindness and patience made the experience enjoyable for your son as well! We’re also happy you came away with some great photos and memories from the day. Thank you for joining us, and we hope to see you again in Japan! 🦌 Best regards, GuideMe Japan Team
Was a wonderful tour. Our guide Josh was amazing. We learned interesting information about the temples and the halls. The main attraction for me were the deer and they did not disappoint, but I’m glad we listened to Josh and moved further away from the vendors to feed them the biscuits.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re glad you had a great time exploring Nara with Josh and enjoyed learning about the temples and their history. And of course, we’re especially happy that the deer lived up to your expectations! 🦌 Thank you for joining us, and we hope to see you again in Japan! Best regards, GuideMe Japan Team
